Alan Dee’s guide to the TV week ahead

One of the goriest series on television is still going strong, and the fact this episode is on after the watershed means we can expect extra helpings of ketchup in Holby’s Accident and Emergency unit.

Waterloo Road’s Georgia Henshaw makes a guest appearance alongside all our favourite regulars, including Derek Thompson, as Charlie Fairhead, the only actor to have starred in every single series since its inception in 1986.

Sunday

Planet Earth Live (BBC One, 7.50pm)

Springwatch, Big Cat Diary and Planet Earth all rolled into one, this fascinating natural history series – the most ambitious live project of its kind ever attempted – sees Top Gear’s Richard Hammond and Countryfile’s Julia Bradbury spending the next three weeks bringing us updates from exotic locations around the world.

The presenters, as well as the cameramen and women capturing the action as it unfolds, will be prepared for anything – but with Mother Nature writing the script, who knows what might happen.

Monday

Britain Beware (ITV1, 10.15pm)

Anyone who thinks that health and safety is a recent obsession clearly didn’t pay much attention to the ad breaks while they were growing up.

If they had, they would have seen a variety of public information films warning us about the dangers of everything from nuclear war to placing rugs on highly polished floors.

As Ade Edmondson reveals in this documentary, most of these films were the work of one government department, the Central Office of Information.

The department is due to close, but before we say goodbye Ade will be taking a look through their archives at some of their most memorable public information films.

Tuesday

War Hero in the Family (Five, 8pm)

Celebs tracing their family histories, in true Who Do You Think You Are? style – but the twist is that they’re only interested in those ancestors who have made sacrifices in times of conflict.

Tonight former MP, quiz show host, novelist and one-time Strictly Come Dance star Ann Widdecombe and motoring journalist and presenter Quentin Willson are given the chance to uncover the stories of relatives who made valuable contributions during the Second World War, however cloudy the more finer details currently are.

Wednesday

Edward VIII: The Plot to Topple a King (Channel 4, 9pm)

The story of the king who sacrificed his throne for the love of American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson has touched a chord with millions of romantics and historians since the events of 1937.

This documentary goes behind the scenes to reveal who did what to force the king’s hand in the weeks leading up to his decision to step down.

Thursday

Phil Spencer: Secret Agent (Channel 4, 8pm)

The Location, Location, Location front man travels across the country to visit houses that haven’t been selling, and once he’s assessed the situation and given the vendors his honest opinion, he then moves on to the next step – finding a buyer.

Friday

Episodes (BBC Two, 10pm)

What’s It All About? Friends co-creator David Crane, sitcom scribe Jeffrey Klarik and British comedy veteran Jimmy Mulville are back together for a second series of one of the best comedies on the box.

Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan are married British writers transforming their British sitcom for an American audience, and star of the show is Matt LeBlanc, playing a version of himself that’s a world away from the gormless Joey of Friends fame.